this isn't a knee jerk reaction or a demand that Pees be fired, it's just an observation. Today's dominating offenses, or certainly the most dynamic ones, all stretch the field with the vertical passing game on a consistent basis. The game has gotten faster on offense too, with things like the wildcat and hurry up offense speeding the pace of the game. The traditional defense that we're at times using in NE is simply not getting enough people at the passer. It's built on perfect execution and containment, but thats hard to do with how fast and explosive the offenses of today are getting. Back in '07 we killed teams that didn't blitz us, but teams that have really sent heat have faired better. This defense has plenty of talent, and it needs to get healthy, but I really think they'd get more turnovers and get more 3rd down stops if they sent more people after the quarterback.

You need teh right players to get that kind of presure which we dont have. If a guy like Burgess would get hot and start making some plays then we could blitz more but when you dont have the guys to blitz and make plays then you leave your DBs open for big plays. Right now they are either trying to get presure or they are trying to stop teh pass but we cant do both at once. Or at least thats what the play calling suggests.

We'll its not really a criticism of this year specifically i'm talking about, i'm just saying over time if This D wants to return to dominant play it's gunna need to acquire better pass rushers and blitz more often. Also the fact that players in the secondary cannot play as physically anymore adds to the importance of a strong pass rush.

You need teh right players to get that kind of presure which we dont have. If a guy like Burgess would get hot and start making some plays then we could blitz more but when you dont have the guys to blitz and make plays then you leave your DBs open for big plays. Right now they are either trying to get presure or they are trying to stop teh pass but we cant do both at once. Or at least thats what the play calling suggests.Posted by MVPKilla2009

Which came first The quality pash rush or good DB's?

Kinda like a chicken and egg discussion here folks......

IF you have great DB's they hold off the WR's long enough for the DL to hit the QB.... IF you have a great DL then they get to the QB quicker which makes up for avg DB's.....Personally I believe that if you give a NFL QB even a mediocre one like Orton all the time in the world then he can pick apart all but the best DB's.... Sorry but the Offense knows the play the Def is just trying to keep up... therefore if you let the Offense sit there and do what they desire without pressure they make you look like our Def looked last week- Mediocre!

We need more pressure as far as I am concerned, and if we get it al of the backers on Def will look so much better as there is not time for the QB to "BURN' them readily. Yes they will get beaten here and there, but they will not have many sustained drives like teams have against the bend-don't-break defenses.

this isn't a knee jerk reaction or a demand that Pees be fired, it's just an observation. Today's dominating offenses, or certainly the most dynamic ones, all stretch the field with the vertical passing game on a consistent basis. The game has gotten faster on offense too, with things like the wildcat and hurry up offense speeding the pace of the game. The traditional defense that we're at times using in NE is simply not getting enough people at the passer. It's built on perfect execution and containment, but thats hard to do with how fast and explosive the offenses of today are getting. Back in '07 we killed teams that didn't blitz us, but teams that have really sent heat have faired better. This defense has plenty of talent, and it needs to get healthy, but I really think they'd get more turnovers and get more 3rd down stops if they sent more people after the quarterback.Posted by andrewmcintosh

I agree with this. A lot of Pats fans are pointing out that the bend don't break D won 3 Superbowls True. But that was when you were allowed to be a lot more physical with the receivers now with the Ty Law rule you can't. Back then the Pats had a great front 7 and for the most part a very physical secondary. Don't have anywhere near those players now.Only Ty Warren and Vince Wilfork really remain so I really think the Pats need to send a lot more pressure on Opposition QB's.

The Patriots will not have a defense that brings heat to the quarterback so long as Belichick is head coach. His defenses stop the run and drop back intocoverages to defend against the pass. His defensive backs try to preventlong passes by giving wide receivers lots of room. Good quarterbackscomplete passes at will.

The Giants typically only rush 4, it's just that their 4 are better pass rushers than ours. The Chargers usually only rushed 4 or 5 even when both Phillips and Merriman were top sackers. For now, they might need to blitz more often, but in the future it would be better to have more pass rushing talent if they can afford it.Posted by NickC1188

Like I said, its a scheme change long term that I think needs to take place, not a radical change, but one that attacks more. I'n no way am i saying BB should be replaced or anything like that, i've seen him out-coach other teams for years, but I do think that for the Pats to remain an elite defense they're style of play needs to adjust.

In Response to Re: You HAVE to send heat on defense in today's nfl : Like I said, its a scheme change long term that I think needs to take place, not a radical change, but one that attacks more. I'n no way am i saying BB should be replaced or anything like that, i've seen him out-coach other teams for years, but I do think that for the Pats to remain an elite defense they're style of play needs to adjust.Posted by andrewmcintosh

I didn't think you were asking for him to be replaced, unlike some people on here recently lol. I would love to see Crennel brought back, though... but maybe for once we'll have a defensive coordinator who WON'T be considered for head coaching positions, even if he does get his act together.

I bet if the Patriots had just caught the two major tipped passes last weekend, we wouldn't even be having this conversation. It wasn't for lack of opportunities last weekend to make big plays. I hope they pick off a couple this weekend and we can put this whole thing to rest.

Also I think it's a pretty widely accepted fact that offenses today rely on timing more than ever, just look at ours. When we're at our best Brady is in perfect sync with his receivers, letting the ball go before they're out of their breaks. So as a defense, you have to disrupt this timing, and theres only a few ways to do it. Gone are the days when Ty Law could line up and be physical at the line and down the field, like it or not the league has changed. So the timing has to be thrown off at the QB's end, and that can only be done with heat. There are def. drawbacks i'm not saying blizting is a perfect scheme, but IMO we gotta start doing it more or we will continue to get passed to death by short drops and playaction.

Are you criticizing the offense or defense, or both? Seems to me Brady has always been about stretching the defense horizontally, which he could do even in 2006. Today, without a quality split end opposite Moss, he can't do it as well, at least for now. Posted by themightypatriotz

How about all 3 phases of the game. The O needs to score more points, the D needs to put pressure on the quarterback (especially in OT when you don't get second chances), and special teams need to help us out w/ field position and turnovers. Our punter really hasn't done a very good job pinning opponents deep in their own end.

Coaching staff needs to ADAPT to changing times and realize that opponents have adjusted to our spread offense - therefore - we have to mix things up as far as offensive play calling (play action, mis-direction plays, runs, introduce a WildCat formation....).

On the defensive coaching end of things - vanilla works most of the time - but there have been a handful of times when we have opponents out from deep in their own territory - times when being aggresive and getting opponents off the field on 3rd down (where we are having a horrendous time) can change the momentum of the game AND give us an opportunity w/ better field position. Can't do it if we give up 93 yards....lol.